Tim Murray’s predicament

I’ve been wrestling with Tim Murray’s predicament for some time because I like the guy, respect his achievements and don’t want to believe the trust I’ve invested in him has been misplaced. I even submitted a column for publication, praising and defending Mr. Murray, only to withdraw it when I learned that he may have violated campaign finance laws. State campaign regulators say he did so by accepting political donations from disgraced former Chelsea housing director Michael E. McLaughlin.

I was disappointed when he announced he would not run for governor next year because I knew the governorship was his cherished goal and because I thought he would have made a good governor. I believed him when he said the demands of a campaign and serving as lieutenant governor don’t leave enough time to be with his family. Skeptics looked for other motives, but I accepted his explanation because I thought, Tim Murray is the kind of man who would put wife and kids first. I’ve known the man since 1997, when the Telegram & Gazette endorsed him for city councilor, and I’ve never caught him in an outright lie.

Mr. McLaughlin was one of Mr. Murray’s first political supporters when he ran for statewide office, organizing fundraisers for him. He is now under indictment for concealing his inflated $360,000 salary from state and federal regulators, a crime unrelated to his ties to the lieutenant governor. In fact, it was Mr. Murray who requested an investigation of his relationship with the former housing chief.

It is hard to believe that Mr. Murray would willingly break the law or do anything improper. All politicians take advantage of fundraising opportunities, and it’s difficult, if not impossible, to keep track of all activities of political supporters. At any rate, the McLaughlin fiasco should not wipe out 15 years of splendid public service.

The qualities that made Tim Murray an outstanding city official also helped him to be a successful lieutenant governor: Dedication, hard work, creativity, a likeable personality, and a political style devoid of self-promotion, grandstanding or any hint of bombast. “I’m a consensus builder,” he told me early on. “If you want something done, you need people to buy into it. They have to trust you if you expect results. Always give people a heads-up and never practice ‘gotcha politics.’ ”

Rather than looking for headlines, he prefers a practical approach, realizing that progress in government can be slow, and not all decisions can be popular.

“It may not be glamorous, but it is the everyday blocking and tackling that makes government more effective,” he said. “Making sausage is not always pretty.”

He has been an extremely loyal second-in-command, rushing to defend and praise the governor whenever Mr. Patrick was in trouble and filling in during his boss’ frequent absences. He has been the administration’s liaison with local communities and its point man in areas such as veterans’ services, homelessness and retention of military bases. Even though he has handled his numerous assignments successfully, he doesn’t claim credit for achievements, never complains or criticizes, and goes out of his way to emphasize that the governor is always in charge.

I’ve been meeting with Tim Murray regularly over the years to talk about local issues, state government and politics in general, and because I’ve enjoyed his company. I remember him telling me about Katerine, the first of two girls he and his wife, Tammy, adopted from Central America. Then Helen followed, and now the two daughters are 7 and 6 years old.

I also remember the time when he told me he was thinking of running for lieutenant governor, asking what I thought about the idea. My reaction was mixed: I told him his departure could have a negative impact on the city, but it could become a gain if Worcester had an effective advocate in the governor’s office.

For many years, Worcester has nurtured a grievance: There was nobody high enough in the state administration or the Legislature to push for the city’s agenda, and as a result, the city was shortchanged. Most of the goods and services went to communities in which the influential politicians lived.

Mr. Murray has changed that. As lieutenant governor, he has represented the city’s interests beyond expectation. Many areas of local progress have Tim Murray’s fingerprints all over them, from the splendid Gateway Park to expanded commuter rail service and professional management of the airport. He urged demolition of the dormant downtown shopping mall to make room for the CitySquare project, then championed opening up the city by extending Front Street to Washington Square. He was always there when major Worcester development projects needed state assistance.

Until Tim Murray’s current term expires, the city has a friend in the governor’s office. After that, who knows? None of the potential candidates from the Democratic Party hold any promise for Worcester or offer special qualities. The Murray family’s gain will be everybody else’s loss.

With the McLaughlin trial on the horizon, and the Boston media nurturing a grudge against him, Tim Murray’s troubles may be far from over. But unless he’s proven guilty of wrongdoing, I will continue to trust him. If that makes me gullible, so be it.

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